


Be Sensible

by UltimateDespairs



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Can be seen as platonic, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, be more like this more often Soren please, pretty short but cute, talking through things like a normal couple, yes good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-26 16:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13239360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltimateDespairs/pseuds/UltimateDespairs
Summary: Ike knew that look in Soren's eyes - distant, cold, cut off and restrained. He just didn't understand why it was there, after all this time. Usually Soren looked at him with admiration and a sort of openness - but now, all he can see in those eyes is wounded betrayal.Takes place a few weeks after the fight with the Black Knight in Path of Radiance.





	Be Sensible

Soren had been quiet for weeks. It was really, really, starting to take a toll on Ike.

 

The tactician gave his reports, succinct as ever, but he wouldn’t look at Ike in the eye when he did, and ignored any attempts at conversation Ike tried.

 

_ Why…? I don’t understand. _

 

Ike found himself missing his closest friend - even as he was busy with other duties and responsibilities, it was a thought in his mind. He knew Soren. He knew he was upset by something he had done, presumably.

 

_ But what? _ __   
__   
Anytime he tried to ask, Soren would make an excuse and leave. It was...disheartening. Ike had thought they’d moved past this stage of their relationship when Soren had confessed that he was Branded. He didn’t like going back to something like this. It felt wrong. Like he'd done something to close Soren's heart so soon after prying it open.

 

He shouldn’t push Soren, but he knew that sometimes, Soren needed to be pushed, just a little. He swallowed as he gave another report on their stock in his tent, nodding.   
  
“Thank you, Soren.”   
  
Soren nodded, again refusing to meet his eyes - but before he could turn and leave like usual, Ike reached out, grabbing his wrist tightly. Soren’s eyes widened as he looked up.

 

“...Soren.” Ike started, voice firm, but gentle. “...I can tell you are angry with me.”   
  
Soren’s eyes were guarded and closed off - a look Ike didn’t like seeing in his gaze. It was...frustrating, in a way. He’d thought he’d broken down Soren’s insecure walls…

 

_...I have to have patience. But...I can’t just wait forever. _

 

“...It would be easier if I knew why. Soren, we’re friends. I consider you my closest friend. We shouldn’t be like this, right?”   
  
Soren was silent, and still as a statue. Ike looked at him with pleading azure coloured eyes.   
  
“Soren, you know you’ll just burst if you don’t say anything.” Ike let go of his wrist, gaze still pleading. “I won’t be angry. If I’ve wronged you in some way - “   
  
“...You have.”   
  
Soren’s words were quick and hushed, but Ike’s ears caught them all the same, strained and desperate to hear them.

 

“...Okay.” Ike said, leaning against his desk. “What have I done wrong, Soren? Tell me. Please.”   
  
Soren was terse and quiet, biting his lip.

 

“You truly don’t know?”   
  
That took Ike off guard. He blinked a few times in surprise, wondering if this was some sort of test.

 

“Soren, if I knew...I would have apologized for it already…”

 

“...”   
  
Soren was quiet. The quiet was slowly becoming absolutely maddening.

 

“Soren…”   
  
“...You ran off.” Soren said softly, voice sounding like it’d barely been used in weeks. “Alone. To take on the most dangerous knight in all of Tellius.”   
  
“Huh?”   
  
Ike blinked. He could seem to recall at that moment...he’d asked to go alone, but Soren had called after him - but he hadn’t followed. Now that he thought of that, why hadn’t he…?   
  
“...I realize it was reckless, but I had to avenge my father, Sor - “   
  
Surprising Ike greatly, Soren slammed his tome onto the desk, so hard that Ike was surprised the legs didn’t break.

 

“...I don’t care.”   
  
“...Soren?”   
  
“I don’t  _ care _ about you avenging your father.” He hissed. “I care if you are alive. Or if you had to do it, why did you go alone like a fool!?”   
  
Ike bit his lip, but held his ground, somewhat.

 

“It was...a personal matter.” He blinked, “if you were so concerned...why didn’t you run after me, like Mist did?”   
  
Soren huffed.   
  
“Titania had to restrain me. That is how your sister was able to slip by.”   
  
_ Oh. _

 

“...Restrained...but, Soren, I was fine, right?”   
  
“That does not matter!”   
  
Ike had never seen Soren so upset. So disheveled. So emotional. He swallowed. 

 

“...I had to sit there, being held back by chafing metal, while I thought you were being killed…! I could hear the yells of battle, but no matter how I thrashed, I could do nothing to help you…! What if you had died…!? What would we have done then!?”   
  
“...I don’t deny it was reckless. But it was the course of action I felt I had to take - “   
  
_ Slap. _

 

Ike stopped, stunned, as Soren’s palm slapped across his cheek, hard and merciless.

 

“You are such a selfish fool.” Soren glared at him, and to Ike’s surprise there were tears in the other’s eyes. “Does my loyalty to you truly mean nothing? Do you truly hold no care for your own well being whatsoever!?”   
  
“..Soren…”   
  
Ike could see it now, in those eyes - a vicious betrayal. Soren had told them before how they had met when they were children. How Ike had saved his life. How because of that...Soren felt undying loyalty to him.

 

_ And yet...I tossed that loyalty aside...for pride… _

 

It really was foolish. He deserved that slap, really.

 

“I don’t care if any of us die. I don’t care if I die, Ike, but you, you can’t…!”

 

“...Soren...I’m sorry.”   
  
Soren froze in his outburst, biting his lip hard enough that it bled. Ike winced, reaching forward and brushing aside the line of blood. The drop spread out and dripped down his fingers - he knew some might shudder in disgust at the half bred blood touching their skin, but Ike didn’t care. Not at all.

 

He looked over Soren, noticing how close to tears he seemed. Even as he tried to keep it in... _ He’s always keeping this stuff in. Why do I never push it immediately? Letting him suffer unduly… _

 

But really...he’d done that with the Black Knight, too. Soren was right...he’d been selfish. Caring only about vengeance and pride, and forgetting the sure signs of unbreakable loyalty he saw in Soren’s eyes every day, and the pain he’d feel if he died.

 

“...I’m sorry. You’re right. What I did...it was selfish.” He paused. “I should have let you come along, Soren. Going into a fight without my chief tactician...really was careless. How could I do such a thing, huh?”   
  
“Ike…” Soren’s voice broke with a suppressed sob, and he shuddered. “I-I do not need...to be comforted like a child…!”   
  
“...Maybe you don’t. But...what I did to you was cruel. I’m sorry, Soren. I really am. I’ll be more careful in the future. And...I won’t let you leave my side.”   
  
“...” Soren gazed at him, eyes full of tears that he stubbornly refused to let spill over. Ike sighed, stepping around his desk, closer to Soren.

 

“...It’s alright, Soren. I won’t let you be in such a position again.” He hesitated, before reaching forward, pulling Soren against his chest, feeling those tears spill over onto his arms.   
  
“I-Ike…!”   
  
“I promise, alright? No matter who we go against...it’ll be together. Because you really are my closest friend, Soren. I promise.” His voice fell. “Even if I can’t remember why I’m yours...that fact...still remains.”   
  
Soren trembled in his arms, and then, a heartbreaking sob released out of his throat, and Ike sighed, running his fingers through his hair.   
  
“You’re so terrible when it comes to your emotions, Soren…”   
  
“S-Shut...up…”   
  
Ike gave just a soft, sad smile, holding him closer, not letting go even as Soren began to sob.

 

_ Soren...if I can’t remember the first time I held out a warm hand to you...I promise...I will never hesitate to do so again. _

 

_ Not as long as I draw breath. _


End file.
